Lather dispensing razors are not uncommon in the art.
Indeed, one of the most common varieties is the hollow-handle razor covered by U.S. Pat. No. 1,867,980. According to that invention a supply of shaving cream is contained in the handle under pressure and it is automatically discharged therefrom through an aperture located opposite the razor's edge upon inserting a blade into the blade holder. Once the face has been lathered, the shaving element is turned around to the blade-side and the shaving step is commenced.
The disadvantage to a lather-dispensing razor of this type lies in the fact that it is relatively expensive. Furthermore, the razor handle must be uncommonly large so as to provide sufficient space for the lathering material and this only serves to render the razor more difficult to manipulate. But most importantly, such a device does not achieve the shaving operation in a single stroke because it required a separate wetting step prior to the shaving operation.
An alternative means is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 2,789,346. That invention relates to a disposable safety razor in combination with a soap-impregnated wad or lathering cream confined within an attached envelope. To utilize that device the soap-impregnated wad is moistened to create a lather and said lather is then applied to the user's face prior to the shaving operation. Alternatively, the lathering cream is employed by puncturing the envelope and compressing it to force the cream therefrom; whereafter, the said cream is applied to the face in a whisker-lathering manner.
The disadvantage to that device lies in the fact that once the soap-impregnated wad or lathering cream is expended it cannot be regenerated and the entire razor must be disposed of.
An improvement on the foregoing device is illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,437. In that invention a spongeous element is secured to the razor in a position which immediately precedes the blade. The object is to maintain the spongeous element in a saturated condition so that upon contact with the lather on the user's face it moisturizes same by providing heat and lubrication immediately prior to the shaving step. Unfortunately, however, this device does not lather and moisturize simultaneously. In fact, the shaving operation actually requires four steps, namely, an initial wetting of the facial hairs, a separate lathering operation, the aforementioned moisturizing step and, the actual shaving operation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,743,732 there is described a means for lubricating and shaving in a single operation by automatically dispensing shaving cream from the handle portion of a razor. However, this device is a cumbersome affair and relatively expensive to maintain. Also, it contains material under pressure and thus constitutes something of a hazard. Furthermore, this device fails to provide moisture to the user's face and thus lacks one of the elements necessary for an effective and smooth shaving operation.